


Lady Sherlock Series: Missing Scenes

by koalathebear



Category: Lady Sherlock Series (Thomas), The Lady Sherlock Series - Sherry Thomas
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 19:14:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21104600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalathebear/pseuds/koalathebear
Summary: I totally adore theLady Sherlock seriesby Sherry Thomas so had to write a few 'missing' scenes ... Just a seris of fragments set throughout the series.  I'll post them in the correct canon order even though I will be writing them out of order.





	1. Forêt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during book 4: [The Art of Theft](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510437-the-art-of-theft).

"No need to look smug," Atwood said coolly as Ingram grinned at him across the dining room where the younger man stood, still maintaining the pretence that he was Forêt, a manservant at the Hôtel Papillon.

"I warned you did I not that your disguises would be too paltry for Miss Holmes' penetrative gaze.”

"It's very unbecoming to be gloating, Ash," Atwood retorted with genuine amusement in his voice, speaking in his own voice rather than the English that feigned a heavy French accent

"How long did it take her?"

"To be honest, I don't think she was fooled for an instant … she apparently recognised me from a fleeting glimpse at a photograph she once saw at Eastleigh Park!" The incredulity in Atwood's voice made Ash choke back a laugh.

"She did tell me that I have a memorable face, though," he said with deliberate mischief, his grin broadening as he saw Ingram's smile immediately turn into a frown.

"You're not her type," Ingram told him quellingly.

Ash didn't bother to hide his amusement. "She's an odd one - looks like an angel but has the sharpness of mind of Lucifer himself. It's no wonder you're so smitten."

"I beg your pardon, Atwood. I'll have you know that the relationship between Miss Holmes and myself is one of friendship." His voice was cold and haughty and Atwood raised an eyebrow, his green eyes gleaming with incredulity.

"Naturally. Apologies for speaking out of turn, my lord," he countered unrepentantly. "She will lead you a merry dance, I'll swear." Then the smile faded and his countenance darkened as he appeared to reflect upon his own circumstances and losses.

"Are you all right, Leighton?" Ash asked in sudden concern, noting how the smile had faded from Atwood's face and his green eyes had become distant and troubled.

Atwood shook his head and forced his lips into a smile. "For all the trouble that she will no doubt continue to cause you, I envy you your Miss Holmes … at least she's here and you can see her and be with her …" his voice trailed off and Ingram realised that the younger man's easy charm and levity masked a great deal of unspoken pain and regret - and not simply arising out of the tragedies in his family's past.

The door opened and Charlotte walked in coolly. Forêt bowed low. "Miss," he said deferentially and showered her to the seat across from where Lord Ingram sat.

"Thank you Forêt," she murmured politely, aware that Lord Ingram was regarding her with an air of amusement laced with pride at her perspicacity. "For what it's worth, your disguise is very convincing - no one else suspects," she told Atwood who bit back a smile.

"Mademoiselle is very kind," he murmured. 

"It's called throwing you a bone," Ingram told him and the men chuckled in genuine shared amusement and respect.


	2. Two highly mismatched individuals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set immediately after the end of book 4: [The Art of Theft](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510437-the-art-of-theft).

"Well," Lord Ingram declared on a deep exhalation of pent up breath. "That was … unexpected," he murmured.

"Indeed," Charlotte agreed, her expression very preoccupied. "I take it you will wish to accompany me when I go to visit Inspector Treadle? I believe he is being temporarily incarcerated at the precinct - in deference to his position."

"Of course," he responded promptly. "Although I note that you will be the only one out of the three of us who will not have undergone the experience of being accused of murder."

"I have no doubt that that dubious pleasure still lies within my future." 

Her brow furrowed slightly as she studied his face narrowly.

"What is it, Holmes?" he asked her with a slightly ironic expression on his face. "Are you going to analyse me - parse the significance of the dust upon my trousers, the crushed flower petals on my shoes and tell me why I have come to call upon you this morning?"

She gave a slight almost secretive smile and held out her hand towards him. He took it automatically, without even thinking and immediately wondered if he had been too swift to respond to her overture.

"Do you have a guilty conscience, Ash?" she asked, studying his face with her clear-eyed gaze. "Especially given that the natural assumption would have simply been that you came to visit because you simply could not stay away."

There was no air of conceit or ego in her remark - it was simply a statement of fact.

"I will confess that I came because I wished to lay my eyes upon you once more," he conceded, feigning great reluctance in making his confession. 

"Have you come to proposition me ?" she asked him eagerly.

He laughed. "You are ever shameless."

"I am what I have always been and well you know it."

"And I would not change you for the world, Holmes," he acknowledged with a warm and gentle smile curving his firm mouth.

"I won't marry you, you know that."

"I don't recall having proposed," he pointed out dryly.

A slight tinge of colour crept into her pale face. "You know that has not always been the need for us to speak our words aloud, Ash."

"Yes, but a proposal of marriage would necessarily be spoken aloud, my dear Holmes. I must confess I do need to better understand your reticence and repugnance towards the state of marriage."

"You know my thoughts on the institution of marriage."

"Yes, I'm fully aware of your views when one is married to the wrong person, but when one is married to a kindred spirit and one's soulmate - why that is entirely different matter altogether."

"Unlike you Ash, I've have never been a romantic."

"You don't have to be a romantic to be able to see the facts. You and I are friends - the best of friends. We understand each other in a way that no other people can understand us. We are fully cognizant of the shortcomings and flaws of the other. I would rather have thought that all of that was a rather solid foundation for a good marriage. I find it interesting that someone as self-possessed as you is so terrified of something as simple as the institution of marriage…"

"I am not terrified," she retorted sharply. "I simply fail to see why it is necessary and what it adds? It would appear to be an unbalanced business transaction that benefits the man."

"It doesn't have to be like that. You fear that it would change our relationship but you have no evidence or basis to substantiate that apprehension. For my own part, I can think of nothing more delightful than to spend the rest of my life with you my dearest friend… The fact that we know that we are also physically compatible is also entirely agreeable to me as well. You continue to hold up your ruined reputation as some sort of shield, but as you can see, I am not without scandal of the most lurid myself... 

"Marriage seems to kill love," she told him softly, her gaze steady but her voice was husky.

"I think that we would do very well together and unlike you have no misplaced apprehension that our affections would wane and die." There was a gentleness to his voice that turned her bones to water.

"I am not like other women …"

"_Really?_ I had never noticed," Lord Ingram declared mockingly, with exaggerated shock in his voice.

"Be serious, Ash. As time goes by, we would reveal ourselves to be what we have always been: two highly mismatched individuals... " his brows lifted quizzically, his expression ironic. "You tell me it's fine now, but in time you would perhaps resent my oddness … wish that …"

He laughed. "Tell that nonsense to someone who hasn't known you for almost your whole life, Holmes," he told her, taking her hand and raising it to his lips, kissing it lightly before releasing it. "We are both discerning, consenting adults with our eyes wide open and our minds clear … There is no deceit, chicanery or subterfuge in our relationship. We would solve your mysteries together and - "

She frowned. "So you would not expect me to relinquish my work as Sherlock Holmes?"

He frowned back. "Of course not. Why would I? I can't really imagine you contenting yourself to needlework by the fire … or acting as Lady Bountiful and distributing alms to beggars in poorhouses. I would imagine that you would wish to continue to exercise your talents as Sherlock Holmes."

"You are a very remarkable man, Ash," she said slowly and with an odd expression on her face as though she was seeing him for the first time.

"And you have only just realised this now, Holmes?" he asked her, feigning shock. "I may need to revise my formerly good opinion of your perspicacity. Perhaps your intuition is not as penetrating as I had thought."

It was her turn to reach out and take his hand in hers. She held it against her cheek for a moment and then turned her head to press a kiss into his palm, her full lips warm and enticing.

His body tightened, his eyes darkening but he remained perfectly still. She closed his fingers over the kiss and released his hand, before returning her gaze to him meditatively.

"Does this mean that you will consider contemplating the continuing possibility of us?" he asked her with a smile in his eyes.

Her eyes widened. "Whatever are you talking about, Ash? I'm not sure what I would do without 'us' in my life … it had never occurred to me that we would do anything other than continue as we were …"

He gave a wry laugh. "There's the rub. Now that I know what we could have - I want it all. I won't abase myself by flinging myself before you on bended knee but still hope that you will agree to make an honest man of me - one day in the future if not in the immediate future. After all, I have not yet told you of the most compelling of reasons."

"So what are the other reasons why I should look upon your suit favourably, Lord Ingram?" she asked, looking intrigued.

He gave a slow and delightfully teasing smile. "Well… my dearest Holmes, I can guarantee that - to my eyes at least - you will never have more than 1.1 chins… Maximum Tolerable Chins be damned."

She laughed aloud despite herself at the unexpected justification. "My lord - that is magnanimous indeed she told him," pretending to look dumbfounded.

He rose and drew her into his arms. She leaned against him willingly, head tilted up to smile up into his eyes.

"How on earth could I possibly deny the man who is willing to overlook additional chins?" 

He laughed and his lips came down upon hers.


End file.
